Baptists/Tongues speaking/holy ghost

QuestionWhy do we baptist not speak in toungues. I am dating another Christian who does and I don't understand it. She has better arguments in the word than I do. I need some help and back support. Please help me find the answers. Thanks.
Yours in Christ,

AnswerJeremy, we do not do so for many reasons. Many of her arguments may be from verses used out of context. Signs are for Jews. The Gentiles require knowledge which is why we have so many seminaries. As the Scripture was written and the Jews consistently rejected the Gospel the signs and miracle gifts faded. We know that even Paul had to leave Trophimus at Miletum sick and he thanked God for healing another man that was near death as if the healing was not of any miracle from Paul. Also note that the gifts listed in Romans differ from that of Corinthians which was written earlier. Once the Gospel was established and the Church flourishing into what would be a primarily Gentile church ministering in the age of the Gentiles the sign gifts faded away. Throughout history the only groups recorded holding to such things also held to many heresies that would preclude anything they did being of God. There was 400 years between the Old and New Testament when God said absolutely nothing and sent no prophets. They had His Word and that was what they needed to follow and believe. When the rich man asked for a miracle for his brothers he was told that they had Moses and if they did not believe what they had they would not believe even someone coming back from the dead. So, it is not a strange thing that God would use certain functions and then cease to do so. God does heal, but not like we see on TV. Much of what is on TV is bogus, if not all. I have given you a link to a book you both should read for if she follows any of the people mentioned in that book she is following a heretic.

I did a fairly extensive study, though not exhaustive, and I have attached the link to that. Simple thing is that it is a language, not just babbling or repetitive noises. It is an earthly language though Paul spoke in hyperbole about the tongues of angels as he went on to show that it is the least of all gifts that they were being show off babies with and that without love it was useless.

It is a tongue unknown to you, but like the folks in Acts 2 others understood it. Pome pute Thai mock mock poo-chi, but not like someone born there. Je parle francais un peu and a couple of other languages but not like a native. It was given so that souls could be won like in Acts 2. If I walked into a room of Chinese unbelievers that spoke no English and God wanted me to preach to them either I would suddenly start speaking Chinese or I would speak English and they would hear it in their native dialect even if there were fifteen represented. God does not give stuff to give stuff. There was a purpose to it. If there are no lost people in the congregation then folks rattling off edify themselves but no one in the congregation would benefit unless someone interprets. Also, just as in a court of law it has to be someone else not just that person to ensure they are not just making the stuff up. I could say chong ding dao wang ha sing ba means God is with us in Mandarin. Unless there is a person there who speaks Mandarin you might not know I just made that up. So the person needs others to interpret to keep things honest. Paul said it is better to prophesy or preach in a tongue that is known than to speak in one that is unknown.

It is not required for salvation as some think. Many people have submitted to studies and none of the taped sessions yielded anything that was a true language or even resembled an language. One ancient language prof went to a meeting and someone jumped up and rattled off something and another interpreted it as some message from God. The professor jumped up and said the real interpretation was that what was said was every vile thing that could be said in ancient Sumerian, not a message from God.

The modern charismatic movement started in CA in the early 20th century among Gentiles. if it has started with Messianic believers I would have been more open to it as being valid as in the last days there will be a movement among Jews where they will become believers in Jesus as their Messiah so a revival of the sign gifts would have been more believable. So the start is suspect. The Scripture warns about false prophets and fake miracles with the Anti-Christ being the star of that sort of thing so that he could almost fool the elect.

I have someone in my near family that I love dearly that believes she has this gift and her friend told her that it sounds like a mixture of languages like it might be something Adam and Eve might have spoke or the language prior to Babel. There is nothing in the Word about tongues that would hint to that kind of thing. Somebody, somewhere always understood the tongue/language being said so it was not a totally alien language though it might be foreign to the speaker. Even a prayer language would be a human language spoken by someone somewhere with the intent being to evangelize that person if they came into the presence of the one holding that gift. Indeed, it would affirm the gift to the holder and let them understand why they had that language. I heard one preacher say that God was going to change this person's prayer language. Why? Since God understands all languages and indeed knows the heart before the mouth speaks there is no real need for a prayer language at all unless some human would benefit down the pike from what I see of the use of tongues in the Word. Trust me, when my loved one told me she spoke in tongues I went to prayer about it and in fact prayed about it and today my wife and I were discussing that person and this issue right before I got your question. God can do what He likes and I do believe that if I ever walked into that room of Chinese and God willed me to speak they would understand by the power of the Holy Spirit in whatever way He chose. Yet, until God reveals to me otherwise I have to say that tongues as a common gift has ceased. Indeed, we live in an adulterous generation that seeks signs and He said that such a generation would not receive one except the Gospel speaking to His resurrection. Those who hold to the gift would say that they know what they have experienced, but experience can be deceiving as the ones in Matt 7:21-23 will find out.

Study and pray for you and her that you may both come to truth through His Word and His Spirit!

Expertise

I am more of a polemicist than an apologist. I especially desire to answer questions concerning discipleship/holiness, "gray areas", etc. If all you wish is an argument then I am not your man. Sincere seekers only need e-mail me.

Experience

I have ministered in several states since my conversion in 1975. I participate in many forums and have written two books. I recently changed to Assembly of God, but after 40 years, I can still answer questions about Baptists and doctrinal issues that are common to many sects.